June 2024 Top 3 Picks
As we start a new month it’s time to look back and for me to pick my top 3 photos from last month.
This time it’s June 2024. June means our annual trip to Kangasniemi in Finland for the midsummer celebrations. Two of my top 3 this month come from this trip. The other is much closer to home, a sunny evening at Gloucester Quays and a few shots on the way to dinner led to one of my favourites this month.
Let’s take a lot at my top 3 for June 2024.
June 2024 Winner - Going Down
Going Down - Olympus E-M10 Mark II, Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm f/1.4 ASPH, ƒ4.5, 1/250, ISO200
My winner for June 2024 is Going Down, a shot of the spiral staircase heading down to the car park of S Market in Kangesniemi, Finland. This scene caught my eye as we left the supermarket after shopping for our Midsummer Feast.
The entrance to S Market is double-height, with glass panels running around the top half of the front of the building. The midday sun poured in through these windows and directly down into this stairwell, with the yellow light perfectly contrasting the light blue tiles on the walls. I tried a few different compositions, but this was my favourite. Using the silver metal rails to form leading lines framing the concrete steps, I wanted the eye to be guided down the stairwell. I wanted the blue tiles to balance the concrete and focus the eye on the details of the steps.
June 2024 Runner-Up - A Busy Marina
Curved Lines - Olympus E-M10 Mark II, Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm f/1.4 ASPH, ƒ1.8, 1/4000, ISO200
June 2024’s runner-up pic is A Busy Marina, shot at Gloucester Historic Docks. This image was taken on a pre-dinner stroll around the docs on a beautiful evening as the sunset flooded the marina with golden light. The red Gloucester Brick of the old docks building, now flats, compliments the clear blue skies above.
I like this picture as I feel it sums up what Gloucester Quays has become. A vibrant and busy place, with shops, restaurants and bars, full of life. The historic setting adds a sense of atmosphere to any experience here.
June 2024 Third Place - Kahden Puun Saari
Reflections on Dining - Olympus E-M10 Mark II, Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm f/1.4 ASPH, ƒ2.2, 1/1400, ISO160
June 2024’s third place pic is Kahden Puun Saari. This was taken during my trip to Kangasniemi in Finland to celebrate Midsummer at my friend Virve’s lakeside cabin.
This shot features two islands on Puulavesi that I have shot from the bank every year I have been. This year I decided to hop in a small rowing boat to get a different perspective of the islands. Here is a snippet from my blog post about this weekend about this shot.
“As I drifted around the backside of Kahden Puun Saari—the side opposite to my usual vantage point—everything aligned perfectly. The setting sun backlit the two trees, and the larger island to the left completed the scene.”